Ronnie uncovers Jack’s big secret

EastEnders’ Ronnie Mitchell is about to discover that snooping on Jack Branning is not a good idea. Actress Samantha Janus tells us more…

Both Ronnie and Jack like to play their cards close to their chest don’t they?

“They’re two of a kind in that they don’t open up. But Jack takes secrecy to a whole new level!”

Like not telling her that he’s now the proud new owner of Phil’s car lot!?

“Ronnie invites Jack to Phil’s birthday to try to heal the rift between him and the Mitchells, but at the party he deliberately reveals Phil’s sold him the car lot. And it’s not just Ronnie who didn’t know… it’s news to Peggy too and Phil’s furious.”

Phil warns Ronnie that she doesn’t know Jack at all – like does she know he has a secret daughter he’s not allowed to see?

“Ronnie bluffs that she trusts Jack but she doesn’t know if she does. All these secrets are turning her into a bit of a stalker and she’s so paranoid that she goes through his stuff to find out more.”

Does Ronnie trust Jack at all?

“She desperately wants to trust Jack but she also doesn’t want to lose face with her family.”

While Ronnie’s snooping she finds tickets to the ballet – but it turns out they’re not for her. How does she react?

“She tries to get Jack to open up about his past but he won’t. So she suggests a night out on the date of the ballet… and it works! He reveals the tickets are a birthday treat for his daughter Penny.”

So, Jack’s a nice guy really, then?

“That’s the thing with Jack, just when you think he’s a baddie he does something that shows how vulnerable he is.”

And when ex-wife Selina rings, Ronnie has a go at her for keeping Jack and his daughter apart. But then Ronnie decides to visit Selina to apologise. What does Ronnie say to her?

“She tells her she only said what she did because Jack wants to spend time with his daughter. But Selina snaps back that Ronnie should ask him about Penny…”